England’s Steve Robertson Defends Indy Lights Title; Hearn Wins, Too

Englishman Steve Robertson and Richie Hearn of Arcadia won supporting races Sunday at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Robertson, becoming the first driver to score consecutive victories here in the Indy Lights series, moved into the lead when teammate Eddie Lawson took himself out of it--and the race--in a solo accident, then turned back a challenge by Canadian Greg Moore in the 47-lap race for Buick-powered Indy-style cars.

Hearn moved into the lead in the Toyota Atlantic race--for open-wheel cars with Toyota engines--late in the race after leader Greg Ray had tangled with David Empiringham, taking both cars out of the running.

Indy Light drivers blamed a dirty track for a series of accidents that made the morning race more an exercise in yellow-flag driving than competition.

“It was very slippery,” said Robertson, who nearly put himself into the wall on one of the restarts after caution periods. “The track was so bad.”

Moore and Pedro Chaves of Portugal, the third-place finisher, agreed, Chaves pointing out that the main trouble spots were the first and second turns. Lawson, the motorcycle champion-turned-auto racer, offered living proof of that. He was running seven seconds ahead of the pack when he lost control coming out of Turn 2 and hit the wall.

David Pook, son of Long Beach Grand Prix promoter Chris Pook, finished 11th.

Hearn beat out another Southland driver, Steve O’Hara of Laguna Hills, in the Toyota Atlantic race. Robby Carville of Johnstown, N.Y., was third.